VintageMarshall-plexi megatonnage and surprisingly chimey clean tones abound in this stompbox with uncommon range. The PG Skreddy Pedals Super 100 review.
A versatile preamp-meets-overdrive pedal with a broad range of voicings, and a bold take on the late-'60s Super Lead in a box.
Predisposed toward quite a bright high-end bite, which some players will likely want to dial out.
$239
Skreddy Pedals Super 100
skreddypedals.com
The Marshall-in-a-box (MIAB) is a burgeoning stompbox genre. These days there are even pedals built to emulate performance characteristics of more modern Marshalls, like the 2204, JCM800, and hot-rodded versions of those amps. But because the golden-age plexis are such near-perfect amps, there is never a shortage of ambitious builders eager to have a go at building a box just a bit closer to the real thing.
Recorded with Gibson Custom Shop 1958 Les Paul Reissue into Friedman Mini Dirty Shirley head on low-gain setting, recorded via Mesa CabClone IR+ (4x12 with Greenbacks IR).
Clip 1: First with pedal off briefly, then with all controls set to noon, then off again. Les Paul's bridge pickup.
Clip 2: Les Paul neck pickup then bridge pickup, first with pedal off, then on with controls set: Volume 11 o'clock, Drive 2:30, Sag 0, Bass 11 o'clock, Middle 2 o'clock, Treble 1 o'clock.
Clip 3: Les Paul bridge pickup, pedal on set to lead tone, first with SAG at 0, then noon, then full up.
Skreddy Pedals, which has always demonstrated a refined ear for what makes the hottest fuzz and amp sounds roar, takes a focused approach to their own MIAB with the new Super 100—shooting directly for the tone and feel of a late '60s 100-watt Super Lead, with its chunky edge-of-breakup clean tones, and its pure, vintage-grade, double-stack overdrive. For Skreddy, achieving the potential of a real Super Lead also means assuring that the Super 100 works right with fuzz, boost, and overdrive pedals, and provides a path to contemporary high-gain lead tones. The Super 100 succeeds on both counts.
A Bite of British
The Super 100 is neither the simplest nor most complex Marshall-in-a-box, but it offers a genuinely utilitarian and flexible set of controls. Two rows of three knobs are home to controls for volume, drive, sag, bass, middle and treble. Most of these controls are self-explanatory. But the sag knob is a little unconventional and super useful, employing an optical compressor/limiter circuit in the preamp to enable both tight, in-your-face tones and softer, squishier output. The carefully assembled, sturdy, and thoughtfully laid-out circuit board is housed in an enclosure painted in gold enamel and loaded with silver-top knobs that clearly honors its amplifier inspiration.
The Super 100 reminds us that the Super Lead is capable of crispy, articulate, and blistering high-end fire.
Fully Stacked
When you think of classic Super Lead tone, your mind's ear probably hears thick, crunchy midrange sailing over a wallop of low-end thump. But the Super 100 reminds us that the Super Lead is capable of crispy, articulate, and blistering high-end fire, too, and Skreddy summons this facet of the plexi performance spectrum with ease. The drive control ranges from near-clean boost tones to medium-gain overdrive—all very distinctly Marshall. But when you get the gain up past 2 o'clock, you get closer to the thrilling about-to-explode sound that makes old Marshalls such a visceral experience.
While the very present top end led me to keep the treble knob below noon, I loved using the EQ, drive, and sag controls, and exploring the whole of their impressive ranges. I discovered a broad palette of edge-of-breakup tones in the process. And the finest of these lurk at the point right between classic-rock crunch and really soaring lead sounds. It's easy to tip the Super 100 completely into the latter tone realm with an overdrive. It stacked beautifully with both a Tube Screamer and a JHS Angry Charlie, but I can imagine users will find plenty of additional sweet spots and screaming sounds with other drive pedals and amps. Skreddy's efforts to make the Super 100 a, well … pedal-friendly pedal certainly succeeded.
The Verdict
If you don't have the cash for a Super Lead, the Super 100 and a cleanish tube amp will go a long way down the road to the next best thing. It's a bold and powerful take on the Marshall-voice and a discernibly more vintage-flavored one at that. The rangy and capable controls give you leeway for very focused and specific tone shaping. It stacks with other gain pedals quite happily. And even if you're limited to a 15-watt 1x12 combo on 3, it still dishes much of the heady, heavy attitude and wallop of old Marshalls, and serves as a reminder that—at least in the clubs and in the studio—size is really just a matter of perspective.
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Eminence Speaker launches the Karnivore guitar speaker, developed in collaboration with metal producer Kristian Kohle.
Eminence Speaker, renowned for its high-performance speakers in the heart of Kentucky, is launching the Karnivore, a groundbreaking guitar speaker developed in collaboration with world-class metal producer Kristian Kohle.
Following their successful partnership on the Eminence / Orange Bass Guitar Cabinet ImpulseResponse Pack and the Kristian Kohle DV-77 IR Pack, this new venture takes the Kohle/Eminence collaboration to new heights, bringing the ultimate high-gain solution to guitarists everywhere.
Available in 8 ohm and 16 ohm models, the 12” Karnivore is designed with a ceramic magnet to deliver everything heavy players need: a massive low end, a thick, vocal mid-range, and mid-range bite that effortlessly cuts through even the most demanding metal mixes — all without becoming harsh or brittle. Whether it's crushing rhythm tones or searing leads, the Karnivore provides the perfect balance of power and precision, making it a must-have for modern guitarists pushing the boundaries of tone.
Kristian Kohle, a renowned producer and engineer known for his work with legendary metal bands like Powerwolf, Aborted, and Electric Callboy, has been instrumental in shaping the Karnivore’s sonic profile. With years of expertise refining tones for metal artists, Kohle's influence can be heard in every aspect of the speaker's design, ensuring that the Karnivore is not only a technical marvel but also an artistic tool for achieving unparalleled high-gain tones.
Key features of the Karnivore:
- 12” speaker with ceramic magnet
- 8 and 16 ohm options available
The Karnivore carries a $159.99 street price.
For more information, please visit eminence.com.
Light and very comfortable to play. Creative tonal options. Excellent hardware.
P-90s may be too hot or bright for some. Middle pickup not as articulate as expected—and surprisingly difficult to activate on the fly.
$1,229
Vola Guitars JZ FRO
volaguitars.com
Pro hardware, unusual circuit tweaks, and killer playability lend new twists to the P-90 solidbody template.
For nearly 10 years, Vola Guitars' Japan-made instruments stood out for their somewhat unorthodox features, quality execution, visual vibes that walk the line between traditional and modern, and mid-level prices that rival industry heavyweights. In the company’s varied line of 6- and 7-string guitars (and 4- and 5-string basses), the JZ FRO is more on the traditional end. Yet it still stakes out its own territory in terms of style and performance.
Subtle Upgrades
Vola’s most distinctive aesthetic feature is undoubtedly the bodyline scoop/flourish near the rear strap button. On the JZ FRO, it lends a dash of elegance and sophistication to an outline that might otherwise seem too literally Jazzmaster-like, while the handsome roasted maple neck, swooped reverse headstock, and nonstandard pickup scheme help make it clear this isn’t your average offset. It’s a classy, understated look even in the model’s flashier aged-copper and shell-pink hues. But look closer and you’ll note appointments that a lot of seasoned guitarists will appreciate, including Luminlay position markers, stainless steel frets, and a direct-to-output circuit bypass switch situated between the volume and tone knobs.
Slicing and Then Some
It’s not often you see a solidbody outfitted with a pair of humbucker-sized P-90s anda Strat-style middle pickup. The P-90s are alnico 5 units measuring 9.5k and 10.5k ohms resistance. To avail you of this circuit’s numerous tones the JZ FRO incorporates a deceptively simple-looking control array. There’s a lone tone knob, a traditional 3-way selector, and a master volume that pulls up to bring the S-style middle pickup into the mix. In this mode, with the pickup selector down, you get the bridge and middle pickup, in the middle you get all three pickups, and in the up position you get the neck and middle pickups. (More on mid-pickup tones in a minute.)
The P-90s are pretty hot, with a lot of punch and zing. In fact, the bridge pickup’s leanness and the neck pickup’s gristliness sometimes evoke Gibson P-100s.
With the JZ FRO routed through a Celestion Ruby-outfitted 6973-powered combo set to a bit of grind, I loved the bridge pickup’s tough airiness. There’s a detailed, vintage-esque character, and it gets toothier as you pair it with a boost or dirt pedal to drive an amp hard. Compared to the vintage-spec Curtis Novak P-90s in my Les Paul Special, the Vola’s bridge pickup is a little less warm and brawny, but also probably a bit more malleable and adaptable to different genres, especially if you’ve got a lot of effects in your signal path. The neck pickup is similarly powerful, though its contrasts with a traditionally voiced P-90 feel less apparent.
How about that middle pickup? Paired with the bridge unit, it yields funky, Strat-like quack—a tone you’re not going to get with most dual P-90 guitars. Accent them with a wiggle of the super smooth-operating Gotoh trem, and the Strat allusion is even stronger. Mind you, all this tone variation is available beforeyou activate the tone-circuit bypass. It acts like a powerful onboard boost: Everything is louder, hotter, and leaner.The Verdict
Vola deserves big kudos for packing so many unique features into a guitar that feels and plays this nicely at such a reasonable price. The novel tone-circuit bypass could help you cut through a dense mix or boost your solo even when you’re away from your pedalboard. That said, in some positions I found it sounded a little strident or hi-fi, and the fact that the circuit-bypass mode renders the volume knob useless makes it something of an all-or-nothing proposition. The added middle pickup expands tonal possibilities beyond P-90 norms, but don’t expect the same type of added clarity you’d get from a Strat’s middle pickup. Even so, the JZ FRO’s exceptionally smooth performing hardware and excellent craftsmanship make playing a breeze and a pleasure, and its VFP90 pickups pack a mix of power, clarity, and flexibility that make it a great choice for biting rock and thick, bristling blues tones.
There’s no disputing the influence B.B. King has had on the history of electric guitar music. We’re talking about his sound, his best records, his guitars, his showmanship, and his collabs, from an all-star jam at the 2010 Crossroads festival to, yes, even his 1988 U2 collab, “When Love Comes to Town.”
There’s no disputing the influence B.B. King has had on the history of electric guitar music.
With Lucille in hand—as well as other guitars—he carved out his sound by developing a signature one-of-a-kind vibrato and pick attack. His note choice, phrasing, and feel have basically become the fundamental vocabulary of electric blues. Even more than any other of his blues peers, his playing shaped blues and rock guitar. And that’s not to mention his singing.
So, on this episode of 100 Guitarists, we’re celebrating the King. We’re talking about his sound, his best records, his guitars, his showmanship, and his collabs, from an all-star jam at the 2010 Crossroads festival to, yes, even his 1988 U2 collab, “When Love Comes to Town.”
In our current listening segment, we’re talking about Brian John McBrearty’s recent meditation-jazz release Remembering Repeating and Julian Lage’s latest, Apple Music Nashville Sessions.
This episode is sponsored by Gibson.
Tighten up your rhythm playing by focusing on how to get a great sound, balancing your wrist and elbow, and understanding how to subdivide rhythms.
